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Greenville Roots: Richard Nixon visits Greenville in 1968

Judith Bainbridge, Columnist
Published 8:29 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

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This is film from 1968, the second time Richard Nixon campaigned in Oregon for the presidency.It shows excerpts from a few of his speeches as well as film of him interacting with supporters at various locations.
KGW

While Richard Nixon came to South Carolina several times for Republican galas, for Greenvillians, it was his social and political trips to the Upstate that aroused enthusiasm.

His first visit came at the invitation of Sen. Charles Daniel, who was hosting a 55th anniversary party for former Gov. James Byrnes and his wife in May 1961. After arriving at City Airport, the former vice president and his wife were whisked off to the Daniels’ home, White Oaks, on Roe Ford Road beyond Furman. Although Nixon had just missed carrying South Carolina in the 1960 election, he won Greenville County with 61 percent of the vote and had the support of Daniel and Byrnes.

In 1968, when Nixon arrived in Greenville, it was all politics, since he was on a Southern campaign swing. Thousands — including hundreds of students who had been excused from local high schools — lined downtown streets to greet his 150-car motorcade. Many onlookers were so exuberant that Secret Service men needed to protect his car. After a speech downtown and a private luncheon with state party leaders, he was off to Spartanburg.

Editor's note: For more than 140 years, The Greenville News has told the story of our community and the people who live here. Each day this year we are publishing a brief piece of our history – Greenville's story.

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